West Ham are trying to sell trio as Tim Steidten gets a new signings directive claims a David Sullivan confidant. It feels like only yesterday West Ham technical director Tim Steidten was being hailed for overseeing one of the best summer transfer windows in the Premier League.
The recruitment chief helped use the Declan Rice money expertly by signing Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus for a combined total of £122m.
So there is understandable anticipation and excitement from West Ham fans ahead of the January transfer window opening in less than a week.
But only one of West Ham’s summer signings would meet the club’s criteria for the winter window.
West Ham trying to sell trio as Steidten gets new signings directive
That’s according to a new claim from a top source inside the Hammers.
West Ham trying to sell trio as Steidten gets new signings directive claims a David Sullivan confidant.
West Ham have a host of fringe players they could look to ship out to achieve that.
And they have been linked with a plethora of players ahead of the window.
But according to a source inside the club speaking to Hughie Southon of Claret and Hugh, West Ham are specifically trying to offload foreign trio Maxwel Cornet of Ivory Coast, Spaniard Pablo Fornals and German defender Thilo Kehrer.
‘Becoming increasingly clear’
And Steidten has been tasked with signing homegrown players as their replacements.
“The club has made it clear to Claret and Hugh that this (signing homegrown players) will be a priority so it may be a good idea to ignore the rumours associated with various overseas players being linked with the club,” Southon states.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the likes of Kehrer, Cornet and Fornals will be on their way and this will ensure slots are available for homegrown players from around the English leagues.”
Kehrer has been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt, Roma and Aston Villa.
Fornals has been linked with Sevilla, Real Betis and Saudi clubs.
Cornet has been linked with Everton and Burnley
What is a homegrown player?
It has a relatively straightforward definition, although it does have some caveats.
For a player to be considered homegrown, they must have played for a club affiliated to the English Football Association for at least three years before turning 21. Crucially, though, they do not have to be English.
A good example of this is William Saliba at Arsenal. The France international, born in Paris, counts as a homegrown player for the Gunners because he has been on their books and listed in their Premier League squad for three seasons before his 21st birthday.
Another example would be Serge Gnabry, formerly of Arsenal and West Brom. Gnabry, seen chatting to Steidten in the picture above. The Hammers technical director brought Gnabry back to Germany during his time at Werder Bremen and he then moved on to Bayern Munich. But he would still count as a homegrown player as he was registered with FA-affiliated clubs for at least three years before his 21st birthday.
On the flip side, a player’s nationality does not necessarily ensure they are homegrown. For example, Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Etienne Green – who has been linked with a move to West Ham in the past – plays in goal for England Under-21s. But he would not be classified as such if he was to join a Premier League club.
